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I have lived through enough election cycles in this country to know one thing for sure: when the final results are announced, half the nation celebrates and the other half carries a heavy heart for months.
It is human. We have seen the palpable unease after the last general elections. So, the disappointment weighing on so many supporters of the National Unity Platform and Bobi Wine is not new.
But as a Ugandan who has seen how this tension can settle into our daily lives, I also know we can’t just wait for time to heal it. We have to actively help one another find our rhythm again.
And let’s be honest; in Uganda, few things reset our shared spirit like football. I speak from a lifetime in the game where I have served as a fans coordinator and SC Villa president.
When the stadium roars, the things that divide us outside the gates fade into the background. We become one crowd, one voice, united by the passion for our club. That power is what we need to harness now.
So, here is my practical suggestion, drawn from my own experience running Villa and organizing events like the Buganda Royal Regatta. Let’s get our major clubs such as Villa, Vipers, KCCA and Express to launch a special peace tournament.
A Unity Mini-League, so to say. But let’s not keep it in Kampala. Let’s spread it out. Take these high-stakes matches to at least six regions across the country, such as Arua, Lira, Mbale, Mbarara, Jinja, Hoima.
Let people see their heroes in their own backyard. Let the excitement ripple through the regions. But we must think beyond the 90 minutes on the pitch. The energy has to flow into the communities.
We can attach community competitions for the boda boda riders; maybe a skills challenge or safe-driving contests with prizes that matter. These are the young men who fill our streets, whose morale impacts the whole city.
Engage them directly, and you engage the pulse of the town. And since I have seen firsthand how sport can transform a community, let’s think even broader. Why not organize mini regattas at major landing sites? Football on land, racing on water.
Let’s create multiple outlets for that competitive, youthful energy. Let people win a goat, a boat engine, a scholarship. Give them something to strive for together. This is not just about distraction.
It’s about reminding ourselves that before we are supporters of different parties, we are supporters of the same national team. We are neighbours who argue about tactics, and fans who celebrate last-minute goals together.
Sport has a unique way of mending fences without ever needing to mention politics. It simply reminds us of our shared joy. Let’s use that. Let’s give people a reason to gather, cheer, and dream together again.
Normalcy won’t just return; we have to actively welcome it back. And I believe, with every confidence from my years in sports, that a ball rolling across a pitch in peace can help start that roll.
The author is a football investor and SC Villa president emeritus.
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